Freesound Forums
Zoom H4N
Started April 19th, 2009 · 10 replies · Latest reply by acclivity 15 years, 5 months ago
i've got an h4, but the new version h4n is to die for. i think i may consider the upgrade just on the simple fact that the physical layout is much more logical, and the software more reflective of what users wanted. plus the new interchangeable xy option. musgasmic...
but i can tell you from experience, the h4 is awesome, so this can only get better.
There's a review here:
http://www.bradlinder.net/2009/03/zoom-h4n-review.html
There are various recordings from different people with internal and external mics on H4, H4N & Sony PCM-D50 compared. No recordings of butterfly wings, though (nothing with the preamps cranked right up).
I haven't fully digested all of this, but it's interesting that some tests showed less noise with external mic plugged into mini-jack than XLR on the H4N. Makes me view the Sony a bit differently.
Also, http://www.2090.org/zoom/bbs/viewforum.php?f=15 forum about the Zoom recorders.
I had an original H4 as well, but I gave it to my buddy when I got an H2. I prefer the physical layout of the H2, and from pictures of the H4N it keeps some of the same. I found the H4 to be a little clumsy, and the menu scroll wheel input wasn't to my liking. Never had an issue the H2 menu. Recently picked up the HD-16 for band recordings or when you need more than 4 channels. Quite happy with it as well.
I'll check out the reviews.
Two thumbs up for the H4n... I have a Fostex Fr-2 for the main stuff and wanted a little recorder to have on me at all times and ended up buying the H4n. I gotta say it sounds very nice! I haven't yet done all the tests. My girlfriend got the H2, and I can borrow the H4 and microtrack II, so will be able to compare them all when I get some extra time. Will post it on my blog (www.soundplusdesign.com)
For the price, I'd go for it! 
Cheers,
Andrew
And what about a comparison between the H4n and the Tascam DR-100?
The ability to record 4 channels of the H4n, or the handy wheel input gain control and the pair of omnis on the DR-100?
Which one do you think is the best?
xinaesthete
There's a review here:
http://www.bradlinder.net/2009/03/zoom-h4n-review.html
That guy has my cat! :lol:
So Zoom sort of went from too-difficult to too-easy for SD card removal. Nice... :cry:
Otherwise, the H4n looks very attractive. I really like my company's H4, it has been very handy for doing on-the-street interviews (using external mics) and, of course, many other applications.
One key problem with the H4 is that you can't take a .WAV file right from the device and sync it to video, because the timing(?) is slightly off and you can hear the sync drift after a relatively short time. You can get around this by connecting the line-out to the computer and then recording that, but that's clunky, slow (real-time), and does not preserve the pure digital workflow I like to maintain. I would be very interested in knowing if this has been corrected in the H4n, as that alone could justify the upgrade.
Also interested in the "stamina mode" because the H4 is -- like many battery-powered electronics -- hyper sensitive to having fully-charged batteries, and I hate re-charging batteries that still have a lot of power left (at least according to my battery meter) but which the H4 says are "low."
Own It. Love It. I have had it for 5 days and have already filled my SD card up a few times.
Great sound.
The only minor issue is using the MIC and Line in Inputs when using the adapter cable. Lots of Hum. Tried it in a few different locations... not a grounding issue. the easy fix... Battery Power... and due to the fact that it uses SD and there are no moving parts... you can run the bugger on two cheapo batteries for hours.
I acquired an H4n 3 days ago, Jun 6th. Some great features noted already (date/time stamping, precapture buffer, guitar tuner, metronome, built in speaker .... ).
Initial test (http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=73727) shows invertor whine has been eliminated, and no glitches when writing to the SD card. Battery life seems much better than the H4.
BTW for those struggling to extract the SD card from the H4, press the card in with a finger nail, and "flick" the nail off so the SD card springs up.